The human anatomy for the respiratory system requires inspired air to enter the body through the mouth or nose the pass to the trachea, bronchi, broncholi, and lung tissue where the oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide at the capillary level. There are some diseases or afflictions that require the air to bypass the mouth and nose and enter through the trachea (tracheostomy). A tracheostomy is a surgical procedure to create an opening through the neck into the trachea windpipe. A tube, referred to as a tracheostomy tube, is placed through this opening to provide an airway and to remove secretions from the lungs.
Tracheostomy patients are challenging for healthcare providers to speak with, care for and assess for complications. A tracheostomy is not something commonly seen outside of the hospital or healthcare environment and it requires a different skill set and presents different complications for the healthcare learners. Conventionally, the training process for nursing students related to tracheostomy tube care may employ mannequins that do not provide realistic patient feedback. This lack of feedback makes it difficult for nursing students to gain the education needed to perform proper tracheostomy care when working with actual patients. Accordingly, improved systems and devices are desired for training medical care providers to provide treatment.